Rocky Raymond//Book Three\\ COMPLETED

Chapter 8- Monster

"You think?" HR asks. "I do think. So play... the rest of it."

Cisco looks back at me and nods and I press the button on the side of the object, holding it out in front of me.

"I've read his journals." HR's voice says. "I found nothing that can tell me why Francisco feels the way he does, but I do hope I can change his opinion of Harrison Wells and the two of us can rebuild that friendship. What a fantastic C-story to weave within the narrative."

"What?" Barry asks.

"What narrative?" Cisco asks.

"Narrative." HR says. HR puts his hands out towards me and I throw him the object. "I'm writing a novel. 'The Tales of H.R. Wells.' Catchy, I know."

"Wait, I'm sorry, you're a scientist and a novelist?" Barry asks.

"Yes." HR says.

"Wow. That's perfect." Barry says.

"Thank you." HR says. "That's exactly right. I'm a scientist and a novelist; I run S.T.A.R. Labs, and also I'm an author of science-romance. That's my niche. Write what you know. And I thought, 'Well, what better opportunity than to come to another Earth and pen yet another best seller about my adventures here?'"

"Why didn't you just tell us this in the first place?" Cisco asks.

"I guess it didn't seem relevant, and also, I didn't think you guys were gonna rifle through my belongings." HR says. "That's all it is. I'm a scientist and a novelist. Do you think you can trust me now, or is that not something that you have on this Earth, trust?"

"Trust?" Caitlin's voice asks from behind HR.

"Oh!" HR gasps, jumping over to Cisco. "You scared the dickens out of..."

"Trust who?" Caitlin asks.

Cisco and Barry's phones go off.

"It's the app." Cisco says.

"It's the monster. It's back." Barry says.

"Monster?" Caitlin asks.

"Yeah, you've missed a lot. I'll explain upstairs." Barry says, walking out.

"Well, I'll just stay here, then." HR says.

"Come on. We need you." Cisco says.

***

"All right, guys. I'm here." Barry says at the location of the monster.

"Tell us everything that you see right now." HR says.

"Mayhem." Barry says. "And the monster."

"Okay, so what's the plan?" Iris asks.

"Great question, Miss West." HR says. "So we fashioned just a carbon fiber rope, but correct me if I'm wrong, we never actually discussed how he was gonna use that rope, did we?"

"Guys." Barry says.

"Barry, we're gonna do 'Empire.'" Cisco says.

"Empire of the Sun' Barry." HR says.

"What's wrong with you?" I ask him.

"'Empire Strikes Back.'" Cisco says.

"'Empire Strikes Back' Barry." HR repeats.

"Just take it down like it was an AT-AT." Cisco says.

"Just like an AT-AT." HR repeats.

"'Bigger they are, the harder they fall.'" Caitlin says and the three of us look at her. "Even I've seen 'Empire.'